Method of packaging articles in handled carriers



y 22, 1952 F. A. CHIDSEY, JR 2,603,923

METHOD OF PACKAGING ARTICLES IN HANDLED CARRIERS Filed Sept. 29, 1950 Patented July 22 1952 METHOD OF PACKAGING ARTICLES IN HANDLED CARRIERS Francis A. Chidsey, Jr., Ithan, Pa., asslgnor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 29, 1950, Serial No. 187,527

r 1 Claim.

'The present invention relates to a method of packaging articles in paperboard cartons or carriers, and more particularly to a method of packaging articles in handled carriers, in which the carrier .is simultaneously formed and filled.

I'he method of this invention, briefly stated. comprises the disposing of a plurality of articles on the bottom panel of a flat paperboard carrier or carton blank, then folding side panels of the blank at opposite edges of the bottom panel up'- wardly. about the articles, folding over the articles a pair'of top panels carried by the side panels, bringing into overlying or face-to-face re-' lationsimilar handle portions hingedly connected to. the top panels, and securing the'handle portionsin such relation, as by adhesive, staples, or other suitable means to provide a composite handle. Preferably one of the top panels has extensions or projecting edge portions for overlapping'the other top panel forsecuring the top panels together by adhesive or other means. The application of the securing means is preferably accomplished as part of this carrier forming operation. An important feature of the method i's'ithat it permits the handle portion of the one top. panel to overlie the other handle portion, which is folded reversely to lie against its attached panel. By this method, the articles may be utilized to support the top'panels and handle portions during the securing step, and the carrier handle is formed fiat against the top of the carrier so as to permit ready stacking of the carriers inminimum space, while being easily swung to'carrying position when desired.

This method simplifies the packaging of articles in paperboard cartons or carriers, by combining into 'a single operation the forming of the carrier and the insertion of articles therein, which usually are separate activities performed at different places and times. It' is thus unnecessary to form the carrier byfolding and gluing a blank into collapsed tubular formyship thecollapsed carrier to' the place of use, and then set it up into final form and insert the articles it is to carry. Instead, the carrier blanks are shipped and handled in flat form and folded into the final carrier form at the place of use with the articles already enclosed therein. The articles are held more snugly in the carrier when the present method is employe'd'tham when the carrier is first 'eomp1ete1 fornied and .then loaded with the articles, for the latter case thecarrier must .be of somewhat greater d i-, mensions to permit'the articles to. enterflwithout undue difficulty." The articles therefore may shift and rattle, and possibly damage each'other. It is an object of the invention to provide a method of packaging articles which is efllcient,

rapid, and economical. Another object is the 'provisionof a method of packaging articles in handled paperboard carriers, in; which the packaging operation. A further object is the provisionof a method of packaging articles in paperboard carriers which comprises forming-afiat, unfolded blank into a handled carrier-about the articles: Still another object is to 'provid'e'a method which enables a producer of goods-etfectively to package groups-of articles of predetermined size and number within handled containers formed from individual unfolded blanks of paperboard previously cut and creased to formenclosing panels of desired size and shape. It is also an object to provide .a packaging method in whicha suitably cut and creased unfolded blank of paperboard is loaded by disposing-a group of articles on one of the-panels of the blank, then assemblingthe partsof the blank around'the group of articles and securing the blankparts in assembled relation so as-to hold the" group of articlesfirmly within the carrier, thus to simplify'the-steps of packing and'form ing the carton by performing the various opera tionsof loading the carrier and gluing thesame in'close sequence. An additional object is gen erally to improve packaging methods where an unformed but cut and creased carrier is folded around the goods and its parts-secured in formed relation. 7 r

Other and further objects, "advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawing, in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fiat carrier blank with a group of articles to be packaged disposed thereon, in preparation for'the carrierforming steps-t0 follow;

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the blank and articles after the first folding step; t v

' Fig. 3 is a view similar to'Fig. 2, but with the articles and blank just prior to the last folding step; and

"Fig. 4 is aperspectlve view of the completed package.

In carrying out the method ofthe present invention", I first provide a paperboard carton or' carrierflh in the form of a fiat blankwhlch include s a central p e H, formingthe bottom I panel of the-carrier, a pair of side wall-panels t2 hingedly connected to opposite edges -of' the top paneljbetween the legs of theihandlefportion connected thereto. The top panel also has projecting portions extending from its outer edge at the ends of the handle portion. Each side panel I2 is provided with a-plural'ity of-apertures 2| spaced along the crease lines t3 and I6. The apertures extend across the respective crease lines into the bottom and-mp panels, and

are of generally semi-circular shape, with a substantially straight edge portionparallel. to and spaced slightly from the crease-line -Withinthe top or bottom panel. In other words, theapertures are located at the top and bottom edges of the side .panels and extend slightly into .the .top andehottomwallsof the carrier when it is set up from/theblank.

In thepresent instance, the articlesto'be packagedare substantially similar cylindrical cans QC six ;of which are to .be contained ineach carrier lll. The sixcans c are disposed jonthe bottom panel ill of the fiatblank in two rows of three each. .The'bottompanel isformed with 'dim'en sions substantially corresponding to the width and lengthof the group of jeans, but its width is preferably slightly lessv than the width of the can group. Thetop panels are .each ofrsubstantiall'y half the .vvidth .of the bottom .panel. The side panels :have a width, or height, substantially egualto-the height of the cans. Threeapertures 2| are provided along .each' of the crease lines l3 and .16, so .located that upon folding ,of the panels edgeportions of the cans will engagejin theapertu-res. The .handle portions l1 'andprojecting portions 20 extend from the respective top panels va distance no more than half the width of thebottom panel.

' ,Fig. lshows the group o'f cans disposed on the bottom' panel ll of the carrier blank in the manner described. The sidepanels IZarethen folded upwardly, as indicatedgby the arrow, about the crease .lines 13 and againstthesides of the cans to the positionshown in Fig. 2, top and bottom edge portions .of the cans extending slightly through the apertures 2!. This engagement .is enhanced by having the bottom panel I l. slightly narrowerthan the width :of the group ofcans, as indicated above. The top panel M is thenfifolded, as indicated -by the arrow, about .its crease line .16 down over the tops of the cans, and its handle portion H is folded-back upon it along the crease lines I8, leaving the tongue portion. IS in the ;plane of the panel 1 4-. .The positions of the partsare-then as shown-in Fig. 3. I

.At thispoint, it may beexplained that-various means may be employed for securing the carrier in its set-up or erected condition, adhesive bein considered preferable in most cases. Accordingly, in the present example a suitable adhesive is shown'as applied to theinterior facesof the projecting portions 20, handle portion l1, and tongue portion H! of the top panel 1'5, as indicated by the stippled area in Fig. l. The adhesive maybe of anysuitable type, as for instance an adhesive which providesa.non tacky coating when dry,

but becomes tacky upon subjection "to moisture, .or to heat andpressure. I believe-it preferable,

however, to employ a glue-like adhesive which is applied at the time of the packaging operation.

' folded overfthe articles.

The adhesive may then advantageously be applied to the uppermost, or interior, surface of the carrier blank while it is in the flat condition of Fig. 1, although it may also be applied at a later stage of the packaging operation, as when the top panel I5 and its attached parts are in the positionsof .2.or 3. .Of course, the adhesive may beapplied to otherareas of the carrier than those shown, as for example to the inner face of the handle portion of the top panel I 4 and the outer face of the panel l4 adjacent the reversely {folded handle portion.

is foldeddown overthe tops of the cans as shown hyithe arrowinFig. 3. Due to the proportions of theparts, the handle portion ll of the panel Hi-"is broughtinto registering, face-to-face rel-ationwith the reversely folded handle portion ll of the top panel l4, and the projecting portions 20 andrtongueportion I9 overlap the top panel 14. "@I'heparts arT hld in'thisrelatioh lliide'r ippr0p'r'iate..press' iire until the adhesive hasset. IfLa dry, remoistenable adhesiveis employed, it ismoistened during the packaging operation, and if,a.;heat-.activatable adhesive-is used,'he'atas well as :pressureis applied after the lastifolding step. The .c'ans ,Cserve to support the top .panels aria handle portions during the folding and gliiir'i' thereof.

.n will beseenthat thehandle ortions! i-rorm a-..composlte handle 'ZZ KFig. 1-) which lie's'flat against the top. panel I14, .o'r substantially-so, age to the folding of the top panel 15 with its handlje portion I1 in the same planeahd the folding'j'of the otherihandleportionagainst its top'panl H. The handle '22Itherefore remains substantially-1h the;plane of the topof the carrier Ill, 'to-facilitate stacking of the packages, as .in storage or ship mentl 'When .a package is to be carried, individually, as after retail sale, the handle 22 is toaposition substantially perpendicular to'flie, toppanels l4 and {5, as shown in Fig. 4. The cans C are retained in the carrier 'lll byraso'ii of the projection of their end edge portions throughthe apertures 2|, as will be obviousf'Ol? course, other means maybe employed to hold the packaged articles in the carrier, as closure flaps orstrapelements to extend acrossthe open ends of the .carrier, the blank being modified accordingly.

Other means, for example staples, may beiiiployed instead of adhesive to secure the handle portions I1 and the projecting portions 211' If staples are used, suitable supporting bladesor anvils maybe provided to extend under the. carrier partsduring the stapling operation.

It maybe pointed out that if it is not messsary or'desired to have the handle 22 flat against the carrier-top, it may be formed substantially perpendicular to the top by folding each handle portion 11 to substantially right angles with its top panel, so that the handle portions come into facing relation with each other in upstanding re lation to the carrier top as the top pan'els' are The handle portions may then be secured together to forth therein: dle 22. p

v The methodof this invention is adapted to'be carried out effectively either manually or filecli'anically, and does not require large 'scale pm: 'ductionfor efficiency and economy. 9- It will 'be clear that many variations'maybe made in the method as specifically discm'sd herein, without departing from the scope of the invention, the disclosure being by Way of illustration. Some of the possible changes have been pointed out or suggested above, and otherswill readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is therefore not intended that the invention be limited otherwise than as required by the scope of the appended claim, with due regard to the spirit as well as the literal wording thereof.

I claim:

A method of packaging cylindrical articles which comprises providing a fiat carrier blank having a bottom panel with side panels on opposite edges thereof, a first top panel attached to the outer edge. of one side panel, a second top panel attached to the outer edge of the other side panel, each top panel having a relatively foldable handle portion, the second top panel also having at least one projecting portion at its outer edge, disposing a plurality of articles on the bottom panel, folding the side panels upwardly, folding the first top panel over the articles, folding back the handle portion of the first top panel to overlie said panel, folding the second top panel over the articles with the projecting portion and the handle portion thereof overlying respectively the first top panel and the folded back handle portion thereof, applying adhesive to the inner faces of the handle portion and projecting portionof the second top panel before folding thereof, and applying pressure to the projecting portion and handle portion of the second top panelto cause adhesion of the handle portions to each other and of the projecting portion to said first top panel.

FRANCIS A. C'HIDSEY, J R.

REFERENCES "crrnn I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Boh Sept. 24, 1946 

